Gulf carrier Etihad and US and French airlines courting Virgin Atlantic

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 17:14 EDT, 20 February 2011

Virgin Atlantic is to be the subject of a tug of war between Gulf carrier Etihad and a partnership between Air France and US airline Delta.

The US and French airlines are thought to have appointed Goldman Sachs to help entice Virgin - majority owned by Sir Richard Branson - into their 13-member transatlantic alliance SkyTeam.

But the duo face competition from Gulf-carrier Etihad, which is also keen to snap up Virgin.

Interest: Air France and Delta are believed to have appointed Goldman Sachs to help entice Virgin

Buoyant hotelier

Travelodge reported annual sales up 13 per cent as it became the latest hotelier to benefit from the economic recovery.

The budget hotel chain opened 70 new hotels in 2010, but would still have enjoyed 6 per cent growth without the additional rooms, thanks largely to strong sales in London.